McCormick Picks Up Big Endorsement

The political landscape in Pennsylvania is heating up as a significant shift in endorsements has taken center stage. In a surprising move, the Pennsylvania Fraternal Order of Police and the Pennsylvania State Troopers Association have endorsed Republican candidate Dave McCormick over Democratic incumbent Senator Bob Casey. This endorsement is notable, given the unions’ historical support for Democratic candidates in past elections.

Dave McCormick, who has been trailing Casey in one of the most closely watched Senate races in the country, received this crucial endorsement following recent meetings with both candidates. McCormick, a combat veteran and former national security adviser to President George W. Bush, seems to have resonated with these law enforcement groups.

The Pennsylvania Fraternal Order of Police, which boasts a membership of 40,000, had previously endorsed Casey in 2012 and supported Democrats Josh Shapiro and Tom Wolf in the state’s last two gubernatorial races.

Notably, the union did not endorse a Senate candidate in 2018 during Casey’s last reelection campaign. The Pennsylvania State Troopers Association, with 4,300 members, also backed Shapiro and Wolf in their gubernatorial bids.

This shift comes amid growing discontent among police groups with Casey’s stance on issues related to policing. Casey has faced criticism for his calls to address “systematic racism in policing” and for his association with organizations advocating for police reform.

Earlier this year, the head of the union’s Delaware County chapter criticized Casey for holding a campaign event with Indivisible Philadelphia, a group that has called for defunding the police.

Although Casey has publicly opposed defunding the police, his support for organizations like Black Lives Matter, which have been at the forefront of police reform movements, has not sat well with these unions. His praise for professional sports leagues boycotting events over the police shooting of Jacob Blake in 2020 further strained his relationship with law enforcement groups.

The unions also expressed their disapproval of Casey’s silence on President Joe Biden’s nominee for the Third Circuit Court of Appeals, Adeel Mangi.

Mangi’s board position with a nonprofit that has praised convicted cop killers as “freedom fighters” sparked outrage among law enforcement communities. Casey’s lack of opposition to Mangi, who served on the advisory board of the Alliance of Families for Justice, has only added to the growing friction.